Research Paper IJBARR

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ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS IN INDIA: A STUDY

C. Krishnaiah
Research Scholar,Department of Public administration,Osmanaia University,Hyderabad.

Abstract
Administrative ethics denotes the professional moral code for public administrators. These codes of
conduct form the moral backbone of civil service. These ethics are important for the functioning of the
state and ensuring public trust in the government. These ethics are meant to be upheld by not only the
administrators but the entire community at large. However, these ethic, themselves, are influenced by
the changing society and social values. As the society has shifted from an undemocratic outlook to a
democratic one, so have the social values. One can understand the true nature of a society through its
public administration ethics. Today, these ethics generally apply to the civil servants of a nation and not
the politicians. The modern world has seen a rise in interest on administrative ethics, however, despite
said development, the essence or crux of such ethics are yet to be found. This paper seeks to analyse the
administrative ethics in Indian administrative system.

Keywords: Ethics, Public administrators, Government, Civil servants, Development.

Introduction
Administrative ethics denotes the professional moral code for public administrators. These codes of
conduct form the moral backbone of civil service. These ethics are important for the functioning of the
state and ensuring public trust in the government. Understanding administrative ethics, components of
administrative ethics, what are the prerequisites to ensure the practice of administrative ethics,
corruption, and measures taken to control corruption?

The word administrative ethics is made up of two words administration and ethics. The meaning of
administration is the process of managing an organisation or its public affairs or the government. While
the definition of ethics is how we distinguish between right and wrong and act on what we take to be
right. Therefore, administrative ethics means the professional code of morality in civil services that is
the moral fibre of a civil servant.

Administrative ethics can also be described as the set of moral norms and requirements for those in the
public administration to aim their professional activity at attaining commonwealth and effective use of
moral values.

Components of Administrative Ethics

The list of various elements of administrative ethics are
1. Integrity
2. Honesty
3. Devotion to the duty
4. Sense of public good
5. Efficiency
6. Non-partisan attitude
7. Humility
8. Loyalty to the nation
9. Non-corruptness

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10. Fairness
11. Sincerity
12. Secrecy
13. Neutrality
14. Anonymity
15. Impartiality

In India, there are various Civil Services Conduct Rules, which contain all the elements of
administrative ethics. A few of the important Civil Services Conduct Rules are
1. Central Services (Conduct) Rules, 1955
2. Railway Services (Conduct) Rules, 1956
3. All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1954

International Codes in Public Administration

Public administration is a profession in which there are several opportunities to make moral or immoral
decisions. Their role is traditionally idealised as part of an interconnected structure that exists alongside
but outside the private organisation. The general principles for public officials according to the
international code are:
1. A public office is seen with trust, and it has to act in the public interest. Thus, the ultimate
loyalty of public officials should be towards their country’s public interest.
2. Public officials shall be impartial, fair, and attentive in performing their functions.
3. Public officials should ensure that they perform their functions and duties effectively and
efficiently with integrity, following the law and administrative policies.
4. Public officials must ensure that public resources are managed properly, most efficiently, and
effectively.

Prerequisites to Ensure the Practise of Administrative Ethics

Faith and determination
For public services to have the best performance, they must develop ethical standards. Once an
organisation develops and implements certain standards, it will also influence the behaviour of new
entrants to the organisation. Establishing standards will also help the administrator avoid developing an
inflated sense of self-importance or arrogance.

Infusion of ethics into politics

The most common problem in public administration comes from political corruption and interference.
The trustworthiness gap between the political and administrative leaderships is increasing. HV Kamath,
one of the founders of the Indian Constitution, always regretted that the devaluation of moral values and
ethical ideals in public life and administration gave way to unhealthy competition for position, power,
and wealth by any means.

No organisation can grow until its political leaders are honest, fair, and impartial. Therefore, the political
elite must show integrity and instil faith among their subordinates about their impartiality and fairness.

Character building
One of the most important parts of the general morality of the community is administrative morality.
The success of any government pivots upon the effective cooperation of its citizens, and therefore, it
depends upon civic consciousness. This can be done only through the educational system and mass

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 Research Paper IJBARR
Impact Factor: 6.304 E- ISSN -2347-856X
Peer Reviewed & Indexed Journal ISSN -2348-0653
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media. If the country’s citizens are literate, they can cooperate with the personnel in the public service
better, and the administrative personnel in the public service are better-equipped to work towards
development.

Impartiality
Civil servants must be completely impartial and avoid favouritism and corruption to maintain the public
office’s dignity and authority. They must implement the policies and programmes of the government
strictly in accordance with the law, regulations, and rules.

Political neutrality
In a democracy, political neutrality is essential to uphold the integrity and efficiency of the
administration. It means that the civil servant should give free and frank advice to the government,
which is impartial and without any political consideration.

Importance of Ethics in Public Services

1. The utilisation of public resources: The responsible use of resources guarantees that society
develops efficiently and effectively without corruption. It holds those in positions of public trust
responsible for their actions.
2. Impartiality and objectivity are ethical norms that bring merit to an institution. As a result,
predictability improves, which enhances economic efficiency.
3. When public officials make judgments equitably and on merit, rather than being influenced by
personal or private interests, society improves, and the administration gains from commitment
and dedication to work.
4. Public confidence and assurance: All members of the public, regardless of race, religion, or
caste, must be treated fairly, and ethics ensure just and equitable administration.
5. Social assets: A just and ethical administration will be credible and will assure citizen
engagement in administration. The resulting trust facilitates and synergizes administration.
6. Preventing corruption: Increasing efficiency and breaking the unholy nexus between the
government and anti-social elements.
7. Incorporating compassion into day-to-day tasks has a significant impact on the lives of
vulnerable people.
8. Ethical management also aids in the development of international relations and the economy
9. The administration becomes more attentive to the public’s needs and desires. For example, in
West Bengal, a separate public market for roadside vendors was established before their
expulsion.

To establish guidelines and standards that will help unify the interaction between city employees and the
executive branch of government.

Status of Ethical Standards in Indian administration

The Indian civil services suffer from strange paradoxes:
Poor self-actualization
Rigid adherence to procedure combines with a ready susceptibility to personal pressure and intervention.
While a bureaucrat may give the appearance of being preoccupied with correctness and propriety, in
practice he may be committing endless irregularities and improprieties.

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Impact Factor: 6.304 E- ISSN -2347-856X
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One size fits all approach
An apparent pursuit of the uniform application of absolute justice may contain glaring anomalies. It is a
curious reflection on their attitudes and thinking that Indian bureaucrats are willing to tolerate such
contradictions between theory and practice.

Ethical issues in Indian administration

Excess of personal authority or rank position: Intentionally, officials make actions that are out of their
position responsibilities and rights that, finally makes damage to the interests of state or certain citizens.
Negligence: A public official either does not perform his professional responsibilities or performs them
in a delinquent manner, causing damage to the state or community. This is mostly because of the lack of
interest that one has in one’s duties and responsibilities.

Bribery
Bribery and corruption have come to become an acceptable part of the society, as a necessary evil
greasing the wheels of the economy.

Complacency replaces the hard work

Although there is a core of exceptionally hardworking, dedicated and conscientious officers, they stand
today overwhelmingly outnumbered by the complacent, who are obsessed with status, rank and
emoluments and addicted to habits of personal luxury and indolence.

Psychology of evasion
When confronted with a difficult decision, the Indian bureaucrat seldom makes any attempt to tackle the
problem with initiative and imagination. Instead, he will refer the matter to another department or make
a series of unnecessary references to subordinates to gain time.

Patronization
The post-retirement assignment of senior officers to Regulatory bodies and other important posts is
largely done on patronage with no set guidelines.
Administrative Secrecy- Secrecy is the hallmark of bureaucracy. In the name of public interest private
interests are served while maintaining secrecy. Transparency therefore is one of the most vital virtue of
Ethical Governance.

Nepotism
The practice of nepotism (the appointment of relations and/or friends to public positions, thereby
ignoring the merit principle), may lead to the downgrading of the quality of the public service.

Lack of compassion
Indifference towards the feelings or the convenience of individuals and by an obsession with the binding
and inflexible authority of departmental decisions, precedents, arrangements or forms, regardless of how
badly or with what injustice they work in individual cases.

Corruption in civil services

The deflection of a civil servant from normal standards due to the lack of integrity takes various shapes
in the form of corruption, patronage, and undue influence.

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Impact Factor: 6.304 E- ISSN -2347-856X
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Corruption can be defined as considering and misusing one’s position, status, or resources directly or
indirectly. It could be for personal use in terms of material gain or enhancement of power, prestige, or
influence beyond what is legitimate or sanctioned by commonly accepted norms. Corruption usually
tends to be detrimental to the interests of other persons or the community as a whole.

Prevention of Corruption
A few of the steps that were taken to prevent corruption in India are:
1. Formation of Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI)
2. Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947
3. All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1954
4. Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1955
5. Railway Services (Conduct) Rules, 1956
6. Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption, June 1962
7. Central Vigilance Commission (C.V.C.)
8. State Vigilance Commission
9. Institutions of LokPal and LokAyukta.

Existing Framework for Ethical Standards in India

India inherited the colonial bureaucratic structure and with time functional and structural unethical
behavior started to appear. Important ethical standards were therefore created to improve the quality of
administration.

Some of the key Ethical standards in India are as follows

Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964 Conduct rules governing the conduct of India’s
bureaucracy largely ensure that officers do not divulge confidential information or criticise government
policy, and remain politically neutral.

No mention of values or Code of ethics

While the Central Government has issued conduct rules for government employees known as Central
Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964, it does not lay down the values, which civil servants should follow
or a code of ethics. • Nature of the Rules: The rules are more in the nature of “do’s” and “don’ts”. The
Conduct Rules cover matters such as property transactions, acceptance of gifts, joining non-political
organizations and a host of other issues covering almost every activity, which a normal individual
undertakes.

Draft Public Service Bill 2006 In 2006 the Department of Personnel drafted a Public Service Bill which
enumerated fundamental values of Public Services, a Code of Ethics, a Management Code etc. with the
object of developing public services as a professional, politically neutral, merit based and accountable
civil service.

The main values by which the Public Servants shall be guided are as follows
 Allegiance to the Constitution and the law, democracy, nationalism, sovereignty, integrity of
India and the security of the nation;
 Function in apolitical manner
 Act objectively, impartially, honestly, equitably, and in a fair and just manner
 Act with integrity and in a courteous and just manner

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Impact Factor: 6.304 E- ISSN -2347-856X
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 Establish high standards, and ensure quality service, effective working and prompt decision
making
 Be accountable for the decisions;
 Establish merit as the fundamental principle in employment, promotion and placements;
 Discharge functions with due regard to diversity of the nation/community and religion but
without discrimination of caste, community, religion, gender or class and duly protecting the
interest of poor, underprivileged and weaker sections;
 Provide honest, impartial and frank advice to political executive;
 Ensure that public money is used with utmost economy and care; One problem with the draft
bill was that it intended to fulfil too many objectives. Apart from values and ethics, the Bill
envisaged laying down principles of management of public services, principles which should
govern appointment to public services, performance indicators for public services etc. With
such wide ranging and diverse coverage of matters relating to service matters, it is difficult to
reach consensus and secure legislative approval. As such, the bill lapsed for want of both
political will and societal will.

Second ARC Recommendations with respect to Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics
1. Civil Service Values which all public servants should aspire, should be defined and made
applicable to all tiers of government and parastatal organizations.
2. Any transgression of these values should be treated as misconduct, inviting punishment”
3. In order to create a regime under which quick disciplinary action can be taken against
delinquent Government servants, the ARC has recommended deletion of Article 311 of the
Constitution, with a proviso that legislation under article 309 be made to protect public
servants against arbitrary action.
4. The Commission has also suggested certain measures to protect honest Civil Servants
against malicious complaints.

Strengthening of Ethical and Moral Values in Governance The discontent with respect to bureaucracy
has shown a sharp rise in recent past. There have been protests to oppose the glaring fall in the ethical
conduct of the public servants. Not surprisingly, there is a great deal of scepticism concerning the
morality of governmental action and the ethics of its officials, and unless public trust and confidence are
restored, moral government will remain a distant dream.

Conclusion
Administrative ethics are the set of moral norms and requirements for the attainment of commonwealth
and effective use of moral values. Administrative ethics helps a country to grow. In order to control
corruption, the government of India has taken various measures from time to time to prevent corruption
in the country. Developing a better balance of ethics training between the compliance (low road)
approach and the integrity (high road) approach emphasizing public values, moral principles and moral
character. More effective use of both fictional and real case studies and thought experiments to promote
critical thinking and encourage appreciation of moral reasoning, moral theories, and moral dilemmas.
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Impact Factor: 6.304 E- ISSN -2347-856X
Peer Reviewed & Indexed Journal ISSN -2348-0653
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